Embezzlement accused in court today for sentencing

A 24-year-old clerical servant is expected to reappear before a Port of Spain magistrate today for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to five counts of embezzling a total of $59,478 from Hand Arnold Distributors and Company Ltd.

Denzil McMeo appeared before magistrate Marissa Gomez in the Port of Spain Magistrate’s First Court yesterday to face the charges. Court prosecutors suggested summary trial and McMeo pleaded guilty to all five counts of embezzlement and falsifying documents.

According to the facts read by Gomez, McMeo received sums of $37,940, $10,366.42 and $11,171.74 from May to July but did not convey the cash to the company’s cashier in San Juan as expected. He was also charged with forging official company documents declaring the payments to be cancelled.

McMeo’s attorney said her client was facing a number of different personal and professional challenges at the time of the incident and expressed sincere remorse over his actions.

She claims the crime was not pre-meditated and arose from a severe mental stress and anxiety, as McMeo was involved in a car accident, in which he had to pay money and also had to contribute to his wedding at that time.

She urged the court to show leniency as he was already in the process of meeting with the company’s officials and said that a payment plan of $2000 every two weeks was already agreed upon to repay the cash.

Court prosecutors however contended that McMeo’s actions showed some level of planning as he tried to conceal the missing cash by cancelling the receipts and urged Gomez to use her discretion when making her decision.

Gomez said she would deliberate the matter after consulting the legislation. McMeo was remanded into custody.